1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for a personal computer, called a printer, and more particularly to an improved printing technology able to make high quality prints on even regular paper by coating a surface modifier on only a specific portion, where an image is to be printed, of the surface of regular paper, in order for printing an image such as a photograph on regular paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as inexpensive color printers have become mainstream, users have become able to print images, such as photographs and designs prepared on personal computers, using color printers. A printing apparatus (color printer) prints (the term xe2x80x9cprintingxe2x80x9d will hereafter refer to the printing of both images and text) images such as photographs and designs, as well as specified text, with the specified coloration and at one time on printer paper supplied thereto, on the basis of printing information supplied from a personal computer. When the printer paper is a recording medium such as regular paper, however, it is not possible to print images with very good quality because of the poor coloring properties and moisture absorption of the recording medium.
For this reason, when a user wanted to make a high quality print of a photograph or the like, the user had to make the print using special paper, coated with a surface modifier, instead of regular paper. Inventions relating to this special paper include Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 6-48016, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 6-255235, and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 7-68919.
However, the special paper is more expensive than regular paper. It is not economical to use expensive special paper for printing a photograph on only one part of the special paper.
Also, only a few types of special paper are commercially available and are not readily available to many offices and storeholds. For this reason, the use of color printers has many limitations; for example, users usually print images such as photographs on regular paper, knowing that the print will be poor quality, or prepare data without using these images.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to make possible high quality printing without the use of special paper.
Specifically, a first issue of the present invention is to provide a printing technology for high quality printing of images; such as photographs and designs, using even regular paper, and without the use of expensive special paper, by coating only a specific area of the recording medium with a surface modifier.
A second issue of the present invention is to provide a printing technology making possible high quality printing of images such as photographs and designs, because the technology is constituted so that users can designate the areas where high quality printing is desired.
A third issue of the present invention is to provide a printing technology making it possible to automatically make high quality prints in the image area, in the case where the printing information includes an image.
A fourth issue of the present invention is to provide a recording medium with which high quality printing is possible, at a lower price than with the conventional special paper, when the portion for high quality printing is determined.
The present invention for resolving the aforementioned first issue is a printing apparatus comprising: means for supplying recording media; means for coating surface modifier on the surface modification area of the recording medium supplied by the aforementioned means for supplying; and means for drying the surface modifier coated on the aforementioned surface modification area.
The recording medium may be made of paper, as well as other materials such as rubber, resin film, or the like. The means for supplying employed may be means for supplying used in printing, such as supplying by means of rollers or supplying by pulling using suction. The means for coating surface modifier is preferably an inkjet system, because an inkjet system is able to coat the appropriate amount of surface modifier at an arbitrary position on the recording medium. However, the means for coating surface modifier may be another method, if the method is means able to coat the surface modifier uniformly and in a specific area. Various known methods may be used, for example, coating with rollers or balls, coating by spraying, and coating with plates. Various known methods may be used as the means for drying, for example, applying heat or blowing air. For example, an electric heater, hot air draft, or light irradiation may be used.
Also, the present invention is further provided means for printing on the surface of the recording medium, including the surface modification area. The means for printing effects printing, including printing on the surface modification area of the recording medium, after the surface modifier coated on the surface of the recording medium is dried by the means for drying. The means for printing is preferably an inkjet system, but various systems, if printing mechanisms, may be employed, including a dot impact system or laser printer system.
The present invention is further provided means for printing on the surface of the recording medium including the surface modification area. The means for supplying further supplies the recording medium to the means for printing, after the surface modifier coated on the surface of the recording medium is dried with the means for drying. The means for printing effects printing, including printing on the surface modification area, for the recording medium supplied from the means for supplying.
In the printing apparatus for resolving the aforementioned second issue, the aforementioned means for coating surface modifier determines the surface modification area on the basis of information for designating surface modification determined according to user specification.
In the printing apparatus for resolving the aforementioned third issue, the aforementioned means for coating surface modifier specifies the area on the recording medium corresponding to image information as the surface modification area, when printing information for printing from the means for printing includes image information.
Moreover, the aforementioned means for printing is preferably means for color printing constituted so as to effect color printing with a plurality of colored inks.
The invention for resolving the aforementioned first issue comprises the following: rollers constituted to supply the recording medium; a roller motor to drive the rollers on the basis of a roller driving signal; surface modifier head constituted to expel surface modifier on the basis of the surface modification signal; head motor for driving the surface modifier head to the arbitrary position of the supplied recording medium on the basis of the head driving signal; heater disposed so as to dry the surface modifier expelled on the recording medium on the basis of a heating signal; and control apparatus constituted to output the roller driving signal, the head driving signal, and the heating signal. The control apparatus is constituted to determine the surface modification area, where the surface of the recording medium is to be modified, on the basis of printing information for printing on the recording medium, and to cause the recording medium to be supplied and the surface modifier to be expelled by the surface modifier head on the surface modification area.
Furthermore, the present invention is further provided a print head constituted to print on the surface of the recording medium including the surface modification area on the basis of a printing signal. After the surface modifier coated on the surface of the recording medium is dried with the heater, the aforementioned control apparatus then effects printing with the print head, including printing on the surface modification area of the recording medium.
Also the present invention is further provided a print head constituted to print on the surface of the recording medium, including the surface modification area, on the basis of the printing signal. After the surface modifier coated on the surface of the recording medium is dried with the heater, the aforementioned control apparatus causes the recording medium to be supplied to the print head by the rollers and roller motor and causes printing by the print head on the recording medium, including printing on the surface modification area.
In the printing apparatus for resolving the aforementioned second issue, the control apparatus determines the surface modification area on the basis of information for designating surface modification, which was input from the input apparatus with an operation by the user.
In the printing apparatus for resolving the aforementioned third issue, the aforementioned control apparatus determines an area on the recording medium corresponding to image information as the surface modification area, when printing information for effecting printing with the print head includes the image information.
The print head is constituted to effect color printing with a plurality of colored inks; the control apparatus preferably supplies a printing signal for color printing to the print head and thereby effects color printing.
For example, the print head is constituted to be transported with a head motor, along with the surface modification head. The print head is constituted to be transported independently from the surface modification head and is further provided a head motor to transport the print head.
Also, the surface modifier preferably comprises one or more of the following: a mixture of porous silica grains and alumina sol, a mixture of porous silica grains and alumina hydrate, silica and boehmite, ultraviolet absorber, antioxidant, and quencher. The invention for resolving the aforementioned first issue is a printing method for the printing apparatus for printing on a recording medium. The method is a printing method comprising the steps of supplying recording medium; coating surface modifier on the surface modification area of the supplied recording medium; drying the surface modifier coated on the surface modification area; and printing, including printing on the surface modification area, on the recording medium after the surface modifier coated on the surface of the recording medium is dried.
Furthermore, the present invention is further provided the steps of returning the recording medium once more after the step of applying the surface modifier and supplying the recording medium once more after the step of drying the surface modifier.
The invention for resolving the aforementioned second issue is a printing method for determining the surface modification area on the basis of information for designating surface modification specified by the user.
The invention for resolving the aforementioned third issue is a printing method for establishing an area on the recording medium corresponding to image information as the surface modification area, when printing information for printing includes the image information.
The invention for resolving the aforementioned fourth issue is a recording medium wherein a partial area, where high resolution printing is required, is coated with a surface modifier comprising one or more of the following: a mixture of porous silica grains and alumina sol, a mixture of porous silica grains and alumina hydrate, silica and boehmite, ultraviolet absorber, antioxidant, and quencher.